Customized NFL “Harambe” Jerseys Are Once Again Allowed Following Initial Ban

NFL fans who want to create their own customized jersey with the name “Harambe” on it will once again be able to do so after the name was originally banned from being placed on the back of customized jerseys.

Harambe was the gorilla that was killed inside a Cincinatti Zoo enclosure after a boy managed to sneak into a restricted area. Harambe then dragged the boy across the enclosure before he was shot and killed by employees at the zoo.

Since then, Harambe has become an internet sensation with many people making memes and other signs about the gorilla. The gorilla became so famous that the Cincinnati Zoo deleted it’s Twitter account last month.

Reportedly, the name was mistakenly placed on a list of banned words that could be placed on customized jerseys.

According to ESPN, an official with a Major League Baseball (MLB) team became concerned because people were customizing their jerseys. That official then called Fanatics, which is an online retailer company that runs licensed sports apparel and merchandise for the four major sports leagues in North America.

Fanatics spokesman Meier Raivich told ESPN that a Fanatics employee added the name “Harambe” to the list of names that are banned on the back of jerseys.

The NFL was not the only organization that had “Harambe” on the banned list. The other top leagues also banned the name.

Following the social media outcry Fanatics officials decided to remove the name from the banned list.